WoW: Nostalgic Bug Unearthed from Wayback Machine

World of Warcraft's Corrupted Blood Bug Returns in Season of Discovery

The infamous Corrupted Blood incident, a notorious event in World of Warcraft's history, has unexpectedly reappeared in the Season of Discovery servers. Players have shared videos showcasing the deadly plague spreading through major cities, sparking both amusement and concern, particularly regarding the impact on Hardcore realms.

The source of the problem is the Zul'Gurub raid, introduced in Phase 5 of Season of Discovery (September 2024). This raid, originally part of the 2005 Rise of the Blood God patch (1.7), features Hakkar the Soulflayer, whose Corrupted Blood spell deals damage over time and spreads to nearby players. While normally manageable with strong healing, the bug allows for uncontrolled spread.

A video posted on r/classicwow by user Lightstruckx vividly illustrates the issue. The 20-second clip shows Corrupted Blood rapidly decimating players in Stormwind City's Trade District, mirroring the 2005 incident where players exploited pet mechanics to spread the plague across the game world.

Accidental Recreation and Hardcore Concerns

Some players attribute the reappearance of the Corrupted Blood debuff to unresolved issues, while others voice anxieties about its potential misuse in Hardcore mode. Unlike Season of Discovery, Hardcore mode features permanent death, making the uncontrolled spread of Corrupted Blood a significant threat.

Despite past attempts to address the issue, the legacy of Corrupted Blood continues to haunt World of Warcraft. With Season of Discovery's seventh phase slated for early 2025, the question remains: when will Blizzard Entertainment finally eradicate this persistent problem?